Black bar on monitor.

[MattBF317]

On the left side of my monitor I have a thin black vertical bar that takes up a few millimeters of my screen. I can't move my mouse cursor past it, and I can't auto adjust, or manually adjust it to go away. It's like the edge of my monitor has been pushed out. I've tried a different monitor and switched to a different graphics card and cable and it's still there. It's very distracting.
System Specs:

Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit.
GPU: MSI Gaming GTX 760
CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1090t
RAM: 4GB DDR3
Monitor: Dell ST2220L
PSU: Corsair CX500

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Have you updated to the latest Nvidia drivers? I am looking at my NVidia Control Panel > Display > Adjust Desktop Size and Position. Have you tried to change the scaling mode to Full Screen or Aspect ration?

 

[MattBF317]

Have you updated to the latest Nvidia drivers? I am looking at my NVidia Control Panel > Display > Adjust Desktop Size and Position. Have you tried to change the scaling mode to Full Screen or Aspect ration?

Yes, and when I try to adjust the screen on the Nvidia Control Panel or with the monitor's adjusting, the screen just goes behind the black bar, it doesn't move it.

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Wait it moves behind the black bar? Your saying your mouse can't move along that edge? Your further saying you swapped video cards, video cables and monitors too? That makes no sense then.

Okay take a look at the bottom left of the screen where the black bar goes from top to bottom right? Does it also push the Orb/Start over or does that sit 'just under' the black bar?

 

[hang-the-9]

What is the refresh rate set to? I've seen this when it's at 59 instead of 60, although it's usually a lot more area pushed over than a few mm.

 

[MattBF317]

Wait it moves behind the black bar? Your saying your mouse can't move along that edge? Your further saying you swapped video cards, video cables and monitors too? That makes no sense then.

Okay take a look at the bottom left of the screen where the black bar goes from top to bottom right? Does it also push the Orb/Start over or does that sit 'just under' the black bar?

The mouse cursor won't move behind the bar, but the rest of the screen will. So if I adjust it so the toolbar sits behind the black bar past the start orb, the mouse cursor won't be able to hit the start button. Also it pushes the start button over with the rest of the screen.

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Wait it moves behind the black bar? Your saying your mouse can't move along that edge? Your further saying you swapped video cards, video cables and monitors too? That makes no sense then.

Okay take a look at the bottom left of the screen where the black bar goes from top to bottom right? Does it also push the Orb/Start over or does that sit 'just under' the black bar?

The mouse cursor won't move behind the bar, but the rest of the screen will. So if I adjust it so the toolbar sits behind the black bar past the start orb, the mouse cursor won't be able to hit the start button. Also it pushes the start button over with the rest of the screen.

Okay that isn't the monitor that is the SideBar. If you right click on the black bar area do you get any menu. If not then go to Task Manager, check All users processes show at the bottom and look for Sidebar to kill it. If that isn't running, then it maybe another application running that is doing the samething (some sort of toolbar) If you can't find it run Hijackthis (http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis/) and maybe we can piece together what it is that is making that bar

 

[MattBF317]

I couldn't find sidebar in the processes, so I downloaded the hijack this program. What next?

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Run it and will output a LOG or Txt file. If you can copy and paste / attach the results here we can look through it and see if we see anything that may narrow it down.

We DO know it isn't the video card, it isn't the video cable, and it isn't the monitor. So it isn't physical, and that you can "toolbar sits behind the black bar past the start orb, the mouse cursor won't be able to hit the start button" means it is a 'video layer' object in Windows broadcast on the screen. So it is a simple technical fix, but you have to be familiar with processes, and software to get at it. Kind of hard 'over a forum chat', and may require someone to either remotely connect to the PC or have a Tech Friend / IT Shop sit in front of the computer for 5 minutes to do it.

 

[MattBF317]

Run it and will output a LOG or Txt file. If you can copy and paste / attach the results here we can look through it and see if we see anything that may narrow it down.

We DO know it isn't the video card, it isn't the video cable, and it isn't the monitor. So it isn't physical, and that you can "toolbar sits behind the black bar past the start orb, the mouse cursor won't be able to hit the start button" means it is a 'video layer' object in Windows broadcast on the screen. So it is a simple technical fix, but you have to be familiar with processes, and software to get at it. Kind of hard 'over a forum chat', and may require someone to either remotely connect to the PC or have a Tech Friend / IT Shop sit in front of the computer for 5 minutes to do it.

Sorry I took so long. Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 5:35:14 PM, on 7/14/2013
Platform: Windows 7 SP1 (WinNT 6.00.3505)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v10.0 (10.00.9200.16635)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA Update Core\NvTmru.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\TRENDnet\802.11g Wireless Client Utility\UMCCfg.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA Update Core\ComUpdatus.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Trend Micro\HiJackThis\HiJackThis.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\DllHost.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://search.conduit.com?SearchSource=10&CUI=UN25781486631227107&UM=2&ctid=CT3287822
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=255141
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=255141
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\blank.htm
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=userinit.exe
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In SSV Helper - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: scriptproxy - {7DB2D5A0-7241-4E79-B68D-6309F01C5231} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\McAfee\SystemCore\ScriptSn.20130613182525.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live ID Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: SkypeIEPluginBHO - {AE805869-2E5C-4ED4-8F7B-F1F7851A4497} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O2 - BHO: McAfee SiteAdvisor BHO - {B164E929-A1B6-4A06-B104-2CD0E90A88FF} - c:\PROGRA~2\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O3 - Toolbar: McAfee SiteAdvisor Toolbar - {0EBBBE48-BAD4-4B4C-8E5A-516ABECAE064} - c:\PROGRA~2\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [APSDaemon] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Apple Application Support\APSDaemon.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [USBAdapterEnable] C:\Program Files (x86)\TRENDnet\802.11g Wireless Client Utility\DetectDev.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mcui_exe] "C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe" /runkey
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Skype] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /minimized /regrun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Steam] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe" -silent
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Desura] C:\Program Files (x86)\Desura\desura.exe -autostart
O4 - Global Startup: 802.11g Wireless Client Utility.lnk = ?
O9 - Extra button: Skype Click to Call - {898EA8C8-E7FF-479B-8935-AEC46303B9E5} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files (x86)\common files\microsoft shared\windows live\wlidnsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files (x86)\common files\microsoft shared\windows live\wlidnsp.dll
O11 - Options group: [ACCELERATED_GRAPHICS] Accelerated graphics
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.clonewarsadventures.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.freerealms.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.soe.com
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.sony.com
O18 - Protocol: dssrequest - {5513F07E-936B-4E52-9B00-067394E91CC5} - c:\PROGRA~2\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll
O18 - Protocol: sacore - {5513F07E-936B-4E52-9B00-067394E91CC5} - c:\PROGRA~2\mcafee\SITEAD~1\mcieplg.dll
O18 - Protocol: skype-ie-addon-data - {91774881-D725-4E58-B298-07617B9B86A8} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~2\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O18 - Filter: application/x-mfe-ipt - {3EF5086B-5478-4598-A054-786C45D75692} - c:\PROGRA~2\mcafee\msc\mcsniepl.dll
O23 - Service: Adobe Flash Player Update Service (AdobeFlashPlayerUpdateSvc) - Adobe Systems Incorporated - C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash\FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: AMD External Events Utility - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\atiesrxx.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
O23 - Service: AppleChargerSrv - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\AppleChargerSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: BattlEye Service (BEService) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\BattlEye\BEService.exe
O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\efssvc.dll,-100 (EFS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\fxsresm.dll,-118 (Fax) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\fxssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Futuremark SystemInfo Service - Futuremark Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Futuremark\SystemInfo\FMSISvc.exe
O23 - Service: Google Update Service (gupdate) (gupdate) - Google Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe
O23 - Service: Google Update Service (gupdatem) (gupdatem) - Google Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: McAfee SiteAdvisor Service - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\McSvcHost\McSvHost.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Personal Firewall Service (McMPFSvc) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\McSvcHost\McSvHost.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Services (mcmscsvc) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\McSvcHost\McSvHost.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee VirusScan Announcer (McNaiAnn) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\McSvcHost\McSvHost.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Network Agent (McNASvc) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\McSvcHost\McSvHost.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Scanner (McODS) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\McAfee\VirusScan\mcods.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Proxy Service (McProxy) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\McSvcHost\McSvHost.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee McShield (McShield) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\SystemCore\\mcshield.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Firewall Core Service (mfefire) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\SystemCore\\mfefire.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Validation Trust Protection Service (mfevtp) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\mfevtps.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: McAfee Anti-Spam Service (MSK80Service) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\McSvcHost\McSvHost.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: NICSer_TEW429UB - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\TRENDnet\802.11g Wireless Client Utility\NICServ.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (nvsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\nvvsvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Update Service Daemon (nvUpdatusService) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA Update Core\daemonu.exe
O23 - Service: PnkBstrA - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\PnkBstrA.exe
O23 - Service: PnkBstrB - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\PnkBstrB.exe
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Skype C2C Service - Unknown owner - C:\ProgramData\Skype\Toolbars\Skype C2C Service\c2c_service.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Skype Updater (SkypeUpdate) - Skype Technologies - C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Updater\Updater.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\sppsvc.exe,-101 (sppsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\sppsvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Steam Client Service - Valve Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Steam\SteamService.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Stereoscopic 3D Driver Service (Stereo Service) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\3D Vision\nvSCPAPISvr.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vaultsvc.dll,-1003 (VaultSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Wat\WatUX.exe,-601 (WatAdminSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\Wat\WatAdminSvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\wbengine.exe,-104 (wbengine) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe,-101 (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing)

--
End of file - 11646 bytes

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Hmmm Can you

Go to Control Panel -> Programs, and click on Turn Windows features on or off link.
Unselect and untick Windows Gadget Platform checkbox.
Click OK. Does it go away (the black bar)?

 

[MattBF317]

Hmmm Can you

Go to Control Panel -> Programs, and click on Turn Windows features on or off link.
Unselect and untick Windows Gadget Platform checkbox.
Click OK. Does it go away (the black bar)?

Didn't go away. Maybe I'll just have to get used it.